University of Georgia Athletics
Gritty GymDogs Hungry For More
April 15, 2026 | Gymnastics, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
One of the things Georgia co-head coach Cécile Canqueteau-Landi said after the GymDogs qualified for the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships was that "we are back." The most accomplished Georgia program with 10 team national championships and dozens more individual titles, the GymDogs are returning to the NCAA semifinals for the first time since 2019.
"I'm super excited," Canqueteau-Landi said on Tuesday, before the team left for the NCAA meet in Fort Worth, Texas. "We went to Nationals last year as individuals, and all we talked about was how much we wanted to take the team there next year. And that was the goal all season.
"The season was far from perfect, but at the end, it just ended in a perfect way. Bringing 20 girls to Nationals is pretty special."
The season began on Jan. 10 with a strong showing in the opener at Ohio State, with the GymDogs winning the meet with a score of 197.000. It was Georgia's highest score in an opener since 2007. Six days later, Georgia took down No. 2 LSU in Stegeman Coliseum with a score of 197.200. The GymDogs have scored at least a 197.000 in every meet but one, even after top All-Around performer Lily Smith, an All-American for three straight years, went down with an injury in February.
"Losing Lily was so devastating because we all know what she's capable of, and she's an amazing athlete, and she's an amazing teammate and friend. But I wasn't worried about our team," sophomore Nyla Aquino said. "I know that there is so much talent and so much depth on our team that people can provide, and there is not one person on this team who is not prepared and who's not ready to show what they have.
"The grit that we have on our team — everybody wants to do well, wants it so bad. Losing Lily has given our team the opportunity to show that we are resilient."
Georgia's depth is apparent when you look at the All-SEC team, which featured nine Gymdogs, including Aquino. In addition, Smith and freshmen CaMarah Williams, Autumn Reingold and Kelise Woolford were named to the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association's regular-season All-America teams.
Co-head coach Ryan Roberts said the GymDogs, through every bit of adversity they faced this season, "rose to the occasion every single time."
"One of the things they taught me early on was, we've got to trust them," he said. "We did a lot of work in knowing the gymnasts, so we kind of knew where we could adjust and needed to adjust, and then trusted them in the moment. That's a really special thing."
At the Tempe Regional earlier this month, sixth-seeded Georgia scored a 197.750 to qualify for the eight-team semifinals. The GymDogs' final event was the vault, and they needed to do well to clinch their spot in Fort Worth. Georgia responded with a score of 49.425, its third-best vault total of the season. Aquino and junior Ady Wahl scored 9.900s, and Williams earned a 9.925.
For Wahl, helping bring Georgia back to the top of the sport is a big reason why she signed with the GymDogs.
"When I was getting recruited, I was like, I want to be a part of the rise of Georgia gymnastics again. And, we're seeing that," said Wahl, an All-SEC performer this season who was a first-team All-American on vault last season. "It's evident now, and to be a part of that, I feel like it's so cool."
Added Aquino: "That grit, that resilience that we've been through ... it's working. It's showing up where we need it to show up, and we are showing up for each other where we need to show up for each other, and it's super exciting. The work that we're putting in, it's being rewarded."
Staff Writer
One of the things Georgia co-head coach Cécile Canqueteau-Landi said after the GymDogs qualified for the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships was that "we are back." The most accomplished Georgia program with 10 team national championships and dozens more individual titles, the GymDogs are returning to the NCAA semifinals for the first time since 2019.
"I'm super excited," Canqueteau-Landi said on Tuesday, before the team left for the NCAA meet in Fort Worth, Texas. "We went to Nationals last year as individuals, and all we talked about was how much we wanted to take the team there next year. And that was the goal all season.
"The season was far from perfect, but at the end, it just ended in a perfect way. Bringing 20 girls to Nationals is pretty special."
The season began on Jan. 10 with a strong showing in the opener at Ohio State, with the GymDogs winning the meet with a score of 197.000. It was Georgia's highest score in an opener since 2007. Six days later, Georgia took down No. 2 LSU in Stegeman Coliseum with a score of 197.200. The GymDogs have scored at least a 197.000 in every meet but one, even after top All-Around performer Lily Smith, an All-American for three straight years, went down with an injury in February.
"Losing Lily was so devastating because we all know what she's capable of, and she's an amazing athlete, and she's an amazing teammate and friend. But I wasn't worried about our team," sophomore Nyla Aquino said. "I know that there is so much talent and so much depth on our team that people can provide, and there is not one person on this team who is not prepared and who's not ready to show what they have.
"The grit that we have on our team — everybody wants to do well, wants it so bad. Losing Lily has given our team the opportunity to show that we are resilient."
Georgia's depth is apparent when you look at the All-SEC team, which featured nine Gymdogs, including Aquino. In addition, Smith and freshmen CaMarah Williams, Autumn Reingold and Kelise Woolford were named to the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association's regular-season All-America teams.
Co-head coach Ryan Roberts said the GymDogs, through every bit of adversity they faced this season, "rose to the occasion every single time."
"One of the things they taught me early on was, we've got to trust them," he said. "We did a lot of work in knowing the gymnasts, so we kind of knew where we could adjust and needed to adjust, and then trusted them in the moment. That's a really special thing."
At the Tempe Regional earlier this month, sixth-seeded Georgia scored a 197.750 to qualify for the eight-team semifinals. The GymDogs' final event was the vault, and they needed to do well to clinch their spot in Fort Worth. Georgia responded with a score of 49.425, its third-best vault total of the season. Aquino and junior Ady Wahl scored 9.900s, and Williams earned a 9.925.
For Wahl, helping bring Georgia back to the top of the sport is a big reason why she signed with the GymDogs.
"When I was getting recruited, I was like, I want to be a part of the rise of Georgia gymnastics again. And, we're seeing that," said Wahl, an All-SEC performer this season who was a first-team All-American on vault last season. "It's evident now, and to be a part of that, I feel like it's so cool."
Added Aquino: "That grit, that resilience that we've been through ... it's working. It's showing up where we need it to show up, and we are showing up for each other where we need to show up for each other, and it's super exciting. The work that we're putting in, it's being rewarded."
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files.
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/ GymnasticsGeorgia Gymnastics Pre NCAAs Presser - Co-Head Coaches Cécile Canqueteau-Landi and Ryan Roberts
Tuesday, April 14
Georgia Gymnastics Pre NCAAs Presser - Nyla Aquino and Ady Wahl
Tuesday, April 14
GymDogs Punch Ticket to Nationals
Sunday, April 05
Gym NCAA Regional - Nyla Aquino - Floor
Thursday, April 02